Packers Highlighted a Recurring Issue That Could Bite Vikings
Ted Schwerzler
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During the course of a full NFL season, you very rarely get an opportunity to play a team twice. In fact, with the way the league schedules opponents, the only teams you face multiple times are those that reside within your division. Now having faced two-thirds of that contingent, the Packers highlighted a recurring issue for Kevin O’Connell’s squad.
I remain a firm believer that beating a known opponent twice in the same season remains a monumental task in the sport of football. It seems to play out at the collegiate level, and is relatively consistent in the NFL as well. After the Packers embarrassed the Vikings Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field, they extended the streak of at least splitting against their division rival in every season since 2017.
Although Minnesota was well prepared to open the season with a Week 1 victory that was handled in a cruising fashion, they were equally unequipped in Week 17. Rookie wide receiver Christian Watson found himself wide open for a game breaking early touchdown, but the ball went through his hands and the Vikings never allowed Green Bay to recover.
On Sunday, the opposite was true. After trading possessions, the Vikings found themselves with a golden opportunity to steal momentum with a series starting on the one yard line. Questionable playcalling and less than ideal health stymied Minnesota to the tune of just three points. Allowing a return touchdown on the ensuing kickoff is something they never recovered from.
This result is not something new for the Vikings this season. Despite needing to squeak out a come-from-behind home victory against the Detroit Lions, Minnesota got it done. They were victorious in the Week 3 matchup despite getting just 14 yards from superstar wideout Justin Jefferson. The loss dropped the Lions to 1-2 at that point, and despite suggestions that this season would be different for the Motor City Kitties, it looked much of the same.
Then came the Week 14 contest in which Dan Campbell’s club was rolling. The Lions looked like one of the better offenses in the league, and despite a porous defense, Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown had been putting points on the board in droves. Goff racked up over 300 yards and a trio of touchdowns on the day. Detroit wound up winning by 11, and it was a game that truly was never close.
Finishing out the season, the Vikings will have yet another opportunity to exorcise this type of demon. A second matchup with a bad Chicago Bears team is coming. Justin Fields has looked more running back than quarterback at this point, but Soldier Field has always been problematic for visiting Vikings teams. The result can probably be scrutinized through the lens of assumed lacking starters, but it’s the next chance of a rematch where things get dicey.
Almost all logic points to Minnesota hosting a round one playoff matchup against the New York Giants. That’s certainly not a terrible opponent to host given the Giants bottom-half offense, but there’s no givens considering how the first matchup went. Greg Joseph, who missed plenty on Sunday against Green Bay, needed a career and franchise long 61-yarder to secure a Vikings victory.
Separated by just four weeks, Minnesota will be facing the same foe in familiar fashion. The defense is still a problem, and the offensive line may be walking wounded. Ed Donatell’s group gave up 334 yards to Daniel Jones, and Saquon Barkley nearly tallied 150 yards from scrimmage.
As has been the case most of the season, the Vikings utilized a bend-but-don’t-break strategy. Despite never looking capable of a true stop, Patrick Peterson saved an otherwise poor game with a late interception on a ball Jones threw behind his intended target. Expecting to utilize little energy or momentum and still hold serve as they did in the previous matchup doesn’t seem like a great path to victory.
Minnesota has two weeks to gameplan for their biggest game of the season. We haven’t seen O’Connell pull off this feat yet, and it would be a good one to accomplish in year one.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.